Vice-President, Sonia visit 'ghat' for Kanshi Ram's last rites

New Delhi, Oct 9 (UNI) Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Congress President Sonia Gandhi paid their last tributes to 'Dalit Messiah' and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) founder leader Kanshi Ram minutes before his pyre was lit at the Nigambodh Ghat here and an Ambedkarite legacy laid to rest.

Congress MP from Amethi (UP) Rahul Gandhi and BJP leader Sushma Swaraj also joined BSP supremo Ms Mayawati and thousands of her followers to pay the departed leader their 'last homage' as flames consumed an era of 'fight for the dalit rights' under the second most renowned 'brand' after B R Ambedkar.

Even as thousands chanted 'Amar Rahen', women wept and hundreds stood in solemn attendance, in a queue, to catch a last glimpse of ''their leader'', people from far flung areas of the nation pooled at the 'ghat' to bid adieu to the man who gave the 'man on the street' a platform to speak his mind.

At the 'site' it was a sea of people and security personnel, almost in equal measure, as VIPs dawned to make themselves counted among 'dalit' followers of Kanshi Ram and Ms Mayawati.

Earlier in the day, leaders of all hues literally stepped on each other to pay tributes to the departed leader at Mayawati's 11, Humayun Road residence and later at the party office -- 12, Rakabganj Road.

Prominent among those who visited Ms Mayawati's residence, where Mr Kanshi Ram breathed his last after a long spell at the hospital, were Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Union Chemical and Fertilisers Minister Ramvilas Paswan, Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, former Prime Minister V P Singh, BJP leaders L K Advani, Arun Jaitley, Kalraj Mishra and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and JD(U) leader George Fernandes.

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